"I Fight For Malaysia, Not For RM234,737" — 17-Year-Old Muay Thai Champion
Muhammad Johan Ghazali Zulfikar will face his toughest opponent yet, Vietnamese Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat, in Bangkok.
By Sadho Ram — 04 Jun 2024, 11:07 AM
This Friday, 7 June, 17-year-old Muhammad Johan Ghazali Zulfikar will face Vietnam's five-time WMF Muay Thai world champion Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat, fighting to bring glory to Malaysia
The Sarawakian fighter, however, made it clear that he was not fighting for money but rather for the pride of his country.
The teenager, affectionately known as Jojo, is gearing up for the high-stakes bout against his Vietnamese opponent, which is part of the ONE 167 event at Impact Arena, Bangkok, Thailand.
The pair will face off in the flyweight category, which offers a performance bonus of USD50,000 (approximately RM234,737) to the winner, provided they meet specific conditions, reported Harian Metro.
Despite the lucrative incentive, Johan, with his unbeaten run in the ONE Championship, insists that his main motivation lies in making Malaysia proud and honouring those who have supported him from the beginning.
"Many will come to Bangkok to witness this fight. They place their trust in me. So, I want to do my best for them and give them victory. I do not make money my main motivation; instead, I genuinely love fighting and want to make Malaysia proud of me. If I get a reward, I consider it a bonus," he was quoted as saying.
The upcoming fight marks Johan's return to the ring since his last match in December last year, where he delivered a knockout blow to WBC champion Edgar Tabares from Mexico in just 36 seconds
Following the bout in December, he took a break to focus on his Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.
While he is eager to return to the ring, Johan stressed that the upcoming fight will be his toughest yet in ONE Championship, considering his opponent's wealth of experience. Johan is half of Duy Nhat's age.
Speaking to ONE Championship news portal onefc.com, Johan said that he won't take Duy Nhat lightly.
"I will say that he's really versatile. He has everything. He has hands, he has elbows, he has knees, he has kicks. But the one thing that stands out is his head kicks.
"You know, I've seen him throw a few head kicks, and they can get dangerous. But I've prepared for it. I'm ready for it. So we should have an answer for whatever he throws. We're ready," he said.
He also believes that his youth will give him an advantage against the seasoned Duy Nhat.
"I feel like the advantage I have in this fight is my youth. I'm younger, I recover faster, I'm stronger, so I feel like this is something I can guarantee on my end.
"But because he could be tough, I think I'm going to be in for a tough start. But I do know he will get tired in the later rounds, which then make it easier for me to knock him out."
